White House Denies Inquiries about DSCOVR Cancellation

Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), also known as Triana, is NASA's first celestial mission for studying the rate of Earth's atmospheric climate change from the so-called L1 - the Lagrange neutral gravity point between the Earth and the Sun. Despite its critical scientific benefits, the DSCOVR climate satellite mission was recently canceled without further explanation.

For those who don't know, Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), also known as Triana, is NASA's first celestial mission for studying the rate of Earth's atmospheric climate change from the so-called L1 - the Lagrange neutral gravity point between the Earth and the Sun.

DSCOVR's potential to explore the current state of our world, as well as make empirical predictions about its future are tremendous. Even NASA admits that "scientists still do not accurately know how much of the Sun's energy the Earth absorbs, re-emits, and reflects. DSCOVR can provide significantly better measurements of global albedo (reflectivity), and can redetermine the albedo every fifteen minutes, making it a good barometer of global change."

Despite its critical scientific benefits, the DSCOVR climate satellite mission was recently canceled without further explanation. A journalist name Mitchell Anderson decided to appeal to the government for information.Armed with the Freedom of Information Request (FOIA), Anderson asked the Office of Administration in Washington DC to produce any any pertinent records "relating to the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) mission, formerly known as Triana, from the period January 1, 2000 to the present." His attempts to learn about what may be the most important NASA space voyage returned the most stringent denials of information. One memo read: "Please be advised that the Office of the Administration, Executive Office of the President is not subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. Your letter therefore is returned without further action."

Mitchell Anderson is but one man. However, his credibility and indeed his cause were reinforced by the August 27 Washington Post article, which reported on the administration's legal battle to immunize the White house from politically adverse inquiries under the Freedom of Information Act.

"The Bush administration argued in court papers this week that the White House Office of Administration is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act as part of its effort to fend off a civil lawsuit seeking the release of internal documents about a large number of e-mails missing from White House servers."

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